Pastoral Thoughts
From "Your Church" to "Our Church" - Turning Guests Into Family
What happens after a first-time guest walks through the doors of your church? In this episode of Church Thoughts, Pastor Jack Young and Pastor Jonathan Mager discuss practical lessons from Nelson Searcy’s book Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests into Fully Engaged Members of Your Church. From those crucial first impressions to follow-up, relationships, membership, and service, they explore how churches can be intentional about helping guests become part of the church family. One of the most memorable concepts in Fusion is the progression from “your church” to “my church” to “our church.” A guest may initially see the congregation as someone else’s church, but as relationships develop and they find a place to belong and serve, the church becomes their church—and eventually our church. How can we make guests feel genuinely welcome without making them uncomfortable? What role do greeters, signage, follow-up, friendship, and opportunities to serve play? And how can the entire congregation—not just the pastoral staff—help turn strangers into friends and friends into family? Join us for a practical conversation about biblical hospitality, meaningful church relationships, and helping people find their place in the local church.
